Becoming a flight attendant can be challenging. Competition for jobs is strong, and the number of jobs is not increasing; in fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects there to be about 200 fewer jobs for flight attendants in 2020 than there were in 2010. In addition to educational and work experience requirements, most airlines set their own minimum and maximum height for flight attendants.

Minimum Height Requirements

Most airlines have minimum height requirements for flight attendants to ensure that they can reach high enough to secure the overhead bins prior to flight. For example, United Airlines requires that flight attendants be at least 5 feet tall without shoes. Rather than a minimal height requirements, some airlines require that flight attendants have a minimal vertical reach. This is true of Hawaiian airlines, which requires that flight attendants can reach at least 82 inches above the floor.

Maximum Height Requirements

Many airlines also have a maximum height for flight attendants. This is because an airplane cabin is cramped, and very tall attendants may have difficulty moving throughout the cabin. For example, United Airlines requires that flight attendants are no taller than 6 feet 3 inches.